Khmer vs Viets

[The Oracle]

While living in Seattle I meet a lot of Vietnamese, Cambodians, Cham and Hmong. It seems as if the Khmer, Cham and Hmong do not like the Vietnamese...but no one cares to share with me (an intelligible answer) as to why this is so. Is this an historical thing? Do the Laotians also hate Vietnamese?
Also, is Vietnam opening their doors to a market economy? Because I am hearing alot about Koreans, Japanese and Sinaporeans doing business in Saigon.

[Emperor_Mike]

Historical rivalries between Dai Viet, Champa, Laos, Cambodia and Siam led to the state of affairs in this day and age. Like many cases throughout history, the sore points were initiated by way of conflicts. In this case, Dai Viet embarked on wars of conquest to expand its territorial holdings at the expense of states like the declining Khmer Empire (most notably the loss of the Mekong Delta) and Champa from the 10th century onward. Interestingly enough, for a brief moment in time, French occupation of the region resulted in Dai Viet being pieced together with the protectorates of Laos and Cambodia into the French union of IndoChina. There exists to this day a sense of irredentism and ethic nationalism within the states that once made up IndoChina and these hidden (but nevertheless still simmering) resentments have thankfully not bubbled to the surface in the form of armed conflict.

As for Vietnam opening it up its economy, that's correct. Vietnam expects to adopt the Chinese economic model and wishes to duplicate the success enjoyed by its much larger northern neighbour.

In anycase, I hope this information was helpful. You can always do more research on the Internet if the need arises for a more indepth view.

[lethal]

Mike's assessment is pretty on point.  I'd have more to add, but its probably superfluous.

Vietnam hopes to move toward a Chinese style economy, but they are also pretty protectionist because Vietnamese domestic business would be destroyed by higher quality imports.

There's been new leadership recently, but it remains to be seen if that changes anything.

Regarding Vietnam and Cambodia and Khmers, the Khmers are a poorly treated minority in Vietnam.  They're also bitter because Vietnam conquered their lands and took them.  Same with the Hmongs.  Additionally, Vietnam occupied Cambodia for over a decade, finally pulling out in the mid-90s.  The Vietnamese generally consider Laos and Cambodia inferior countries and cultures, just as many Japanese and Chinese generally consider the Vietnamese an inferior culture and country.  Its the hierchy of Asia.

[supernova]

And just now, Khmer banned all wealthy vietnamese businuessman out of the country i think... :ph34r:


And most of cham in viet now are assimilated by the vietnamese except for their religion, so i doubt you met cambodian cham

[yoMAMA]

I thought you guys were talking about the Khmer Rogue.

Man those are monsters!